Tributes pour in for Sinéad O’Connor, dead at 56
The legendary Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor has died, aged 56, having been found unresponsive at her home in London by the police and sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
Hailing from Dublin, the singer was catapulted to global fame following her 1990 cover of Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, which was listed as the number-one single that year by the Billboard Music Awards.
After her debut album, 1987’s The Lion and the Cobra, O’Connor embarked on a near-30-year career which cemented her as one of Ireland’s most prolific, successful and critically acclaimed female musicians.
Her death comes shortly after the suicide of her 17-year-old son, who tragically took his own life in January last year. O’Connor is survived by her three other children. Since the news of her death broke, people have been coming forward to share their sadness and gratitude for her work.
Tim Burgess, lead singer of the Charlatans, posted on Twitter: “Sinead was the true embodiment of a punk spirit. She did not compromise and that made her life more of a struggle. Hoping that she has found peace x”
Jason Isbell, known for his work with The 400 Unit, as a former member of Drive-By Truckers and for his solo work, shared lyrics from the No Use for a Name song ‘This is a Rebel Song’, sharing that he hoped “there’s peace for Sinéad at last.”
Canadian music correspondent Eric Alper lamented O’Connor’s passing with a concise yet heartfelt tweet, “Sinead O’Connor has died at the age of 56. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”, before separately adding “I worked with Sinead O’Connor for several albums but adored her from the start. I have always said this when someone passes, but I mean it more than ever: May she rest in peace. She deserves it, wanted it, strived for it and could never achieve it. I will miss her greatly.”
Irish stand-up comedian and TV presenter Dara Ó Briain said, “Ah shite, Sinead O’Connor has died. That’s just very sad news. Poor thing. I hope she realised how much love there was for her.”
Nooruddean Choudry, also known as Bearded Genius, mourned her death as “terribly sad news” and praised her for being “Supremely talented, utterly fearless.”
The Blindboy Podcast, which is hosted by Irish hip-hop comedy duo The Rubberbandits, said, “Rest in Peace Sineàd, what an awful shock.”
David Lammy, Labour MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, tweeted: “Oh my! How very very sad. Such a soulful, haunting and powerful voice. My heart goes out to her children and family,” adding, “May she rest in peace.”
MTV veteran and television host Matt Pinfield acknowledged O’Connor’s passing as “Heartbreaking news.”
In a more scathing tribute, Morrissey took aim at mainstream media, which has been flooded with tributes, claiming they “hadn’t the guts to support her when she was alive”, while actor Russel Crowe labelled the singer as his “hero”.
O’Connor is survived by her three children.
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